


The Catalyst

by bluemoonrabbit



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: (not main characters), Alternate Universe - Detectives, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Happy Ending, Hostage Situations, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Light Angst, M/M, Minor hyungheon, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Siblings Changki, Violence, Warnings May Change, cameos by other idols
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-01-06 05:03:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18381506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluemoonrabbit/pseuds/bluemoonrabbit
Summary: All roads feel like a dead end when Hoseok’s agency suddenly goes bankrupt right before his debut, and he’sthisclose to punching out the next person who tells him “when one door closes, another one opens.”But everything he knows changes when a fateful meeting with enigmatic genius Im Changkyun and reports of his former fellow trainees’ deaths plunge him into a world of mystery and danger. What hidden threats lie in wait?On hiatus.





	1. The DJ, the Genius, the Millionaire, and Their Cats

By all accounts, it was a beautiful spring afternoon in Seoul, the kind that put smiles on people’s faces and a spring in their steps. Fleecy clouds that drifted across the blue sky tempered the heat of the sun, and a fresh breeze chased away the city pollution — it was mild and warm, not too hot. On a day like this, one longed to sit on a park bench with a good book and an iced drink, and just bask in the beauty of life.

Hoseok, on the other hand, hated it. He wanted heavy clouds and sheets of rain to comfort his grey mood.

It had been an awful month full of disappointments and letdowns, and despite his best efforts to stay positive, today felt like an uphill struggle. With his rent soon due, staying home and hiding from the world was not an option, so he opted for the next best thing — wearing all black and tucking his face away in a mask.

He leaned back in his seat and sighed, glumly watching the cityscape fly by as the train carried him homewards. Across from him, a lanky, well-dressed man wearing a face mask was eyeing him strangely, making him shift uncomfortably in his seat.

Hoseok was probably sleep-deprived, or maybe he hit his head too hard on a shelf while checking in the back for extra stock, because he was starting to imagine that the man looked familiar. Determined not to meet the stranger’s eyes, he self-consciously patted his own mask to make sure it was securely on.

To his alarm, the stranger leaned forward and squinted at him.

“Hoseok-hyung?” the man asked, startling Hoseok out out of his skin. The man pulled off his mask to reveal his face.

Hoseok gasped in surprise and yanked his off too.

“Hyungwon!” he exclaimed. “God — I’m so sorry I didn’t realize it was you!”

Inwardly, he scolded himself for not recognizing one of his oldest friends. It was a shock to see Hyungwon here on the train with him. It had been a long time since they’d last talked, and even longer since they’d seen each other in person.

 _And whose fault would that be?_ whispered a voice in his head.

“No, it’s okay!” Hyungwon chirped, scooting forward in his seat to hear Hoseok better. He radiated gentle excitement as he looked at Hoseok. “I can’t believe it’s you. I haven’t seen you in forever!”

Hoseok smiled, grateful that Hyungwon didn’t seem to hold it against him. Despite the years they lost contact, he was still the same old Hyungwon, never one to bear grudges. “It’s really been a couple years, hasn’t it?”

He could almost pinpoint with certainty the moment they fell out of touch. It was when Hyungwon had received his first invitation to perform at a music festival in the States, and from then on picking up the phone had gotten harder and harder. Hoseok was not proud of it.

“Yeah… Hey, are you busy right now?” Hyungwon asked. He peered hopefully at Hoseok. “Can we grab a coffee and catch up?”

“Yes!” Hoseok replied enthusiastically. “I’d love that!”

Hyungwon grinned. “Great! I know a place.”

As it turned out, the ‘place’ he had in mind was several blocks from the next train station. After they alighted, Hyungwon slipped his mask back over his smiling face, and beckoned Hoseok to follow him through the bustling downtown streets.

 _Fame suits him_ _well,_ Hoseok mused. Hyungwon moved with a relaxed confidence that elongated his already tall frame. Even though he had swapped his DJ H.One wardrobe for something casual and understated, he still turned heads as they wove through the crowds. He looked so happy that Hoseok couldn’t bring himself to feel envious at all.

Hyungwon lead them to a chic hole-in-the-wall, all exposed brick and minimal furniture, and sat Hoseok down at a tiny round table by the window before he could even reach for his wallet.

“On me. I’ll get you your usual,” he said, and disappeared into the queue at the counter.

 _Yup, same old Hyungwon,_ thought Hoseok with a smile. Beneath that laidback exterior, his old friend was still as strong-willed.

A few minutes later, Hyungwon returned with two drinks in hand. He slid the lemon iced tea towards Hoseok.

“How’ve you been, hyung?” he asked. “You must be close to debuting, right?”

“Yeah… about that….” Hoseok scratched at the back of his neck. “My company suddenly went bankrupt and my contract was terminated.”

Hyungwon’s eyes widened. “Oh my god. That was your company? I’m so sorry.”

“No, it’s fine,” said Hoseok hastily, waving away the awkward air. “I’m mostly over it.”

(A lie. He was bitter as fuck.)

He added, “I knew it might happen when I signed on with a small company.”

(Another lie. He’d put his blind faith in the company that produced _the_ Lee Sunmi, actual goddess of K-pop. He was just dumb to not see the red flags pop up when she sued and left.)

Hyungwon nodded sympathetically. “Well, I’m not going to be that jerk that tells you _‘when one door closes, another one opens._ ’ I know you hate that sort of thing.”

Hoseok laughed despite himself. “Yeah, but I’ve had so many people say that to me after I was dropped. Can you believe the CEO said that to my face right after he told me the company was too broke to debut me?”

Hyungwon grimaced.

“And look at me now. The only doors that are opening for me are the ones at my part-time jobs — yes, jobs, in the plural — and the front door of the shitty apartment I can now barely afford,” Hoseok groused. He stabbed at the lemon slices in his drink with his straw. “Mom keeps trying to get me to move back after my lease is up, but I just can’t, y’know?”

Hyungwon was silent, nodding slowly with a pensive look on his face. Hoseok sighed dejectedly. “I’m sorry for getting the mood down. I haven’t seen or talked to you in years and all I can talk about is myself.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” said Hyungwon gently. “You deserve a good rant. You’ve had a lot on your plate.”

“Yeah, but… Hyungwon, I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have neglected our friendship,” said Hoseok. “It’s true I was busy but I still should’ve called from time to time.”

“I’m guilty of that too,” Hyungwon said. He looked at Hoseok earnestly. “It was my fault as much as it was yours. When my music started getting popular, I didn’t know if you’d be jealous or — something — and I was… scared things would be different.”

Hoseok smiled in relief and gratitude. It was a testament to their long friendship that they were able to get back on the same page so quickly.

“You bet I’m jealous as fuck,” Hoseok joked. “But even more than that, I’m happy for you.” He raised his glass. “Cheers to being better friends from now on, yeah?”

“Cheers,” Hyungwon smiled gratefully and clinked their glasses together.

They were silent for a moment, sipping from their drinks and watching people walk by on the sidewalk. Finally, Hyungwon spoke again.

“You know, about your apartment situation… I might have a solution for you.”

“I swear to God if you tell me you know a guy who’s looking for a sugar baby—”

“What — no!” Hyungwon exclaimed. “When does your lease end?”

“Literally this week. I’m meeting my landlord later today to renew it.”

“Don’t. I have a friend who could use a roommate. He takes a while to warm up to people but he’s a really good person. One of the best. Would you be interested in meeting him?”

Hyungwon looked at Hoseok expectantly.

“Sure,” he said, taken by surprise. Having a roommate would be a godsend to his wallet right about now. Plus, Hyungwon was one of the best judges of character he knew. “No harm in meeting him, right?”

Hyungwon beamed. “We’ll go after we finish our drinks.”

“Sounds good. Hey, so tell me about that music festival you did earlier this year!”

“Oh my God, it was amazing. You’ll never guess who came up to me asking for a collab.”

—

When only half-melted ice cubes were left in their glasses, they stepped back out onto the sundrenched sidewalk, feeling like they’d fit two lost years of friendship into the half-hour they’d spent within the café. From there, Hyungwon hailed a taxi and murmured an address to the driver. Hoseok smiled, reminiscing the public-transit adventures their teenaged selves had embarked on. Back then, scoping out new ramen joints had been of utmost importance. Matters like meeting prospective roommates had been a worlds-away worry.

He relaxed in the back seat of the taxi and thought back to that adage everyone had recited at him. _When one door closes, another one opens._  He’d been shocked and devastated when the plug was pulled on his training and debut, and cheap words like that had felt like salt on the wound. From there it had only been a downward spiral. Every day had been the same monotonous march from his glorified shoebox of an apartment to his part-time at the clothing store to his part-time at the restaurant then back to his apartment to crash in bed. To meet Hyungwon again and be given the chance to meet a potential roommate — Hoseok wondered if this was the metaphorical opening of a new door.

But his calm, relaxed mood was taken over by trepidation as he took notice of the streets the taxi was weaving through.

“Uh, Hyungwon?”

“Mm?”

“Are you sure we’re going in the right direction?”

“Yeah, why?”

“I know you’re rich now and have rich friends,” said Hoseok, staring out the window in horror. The sidewalks were lined with expensive stores. “But I’m surviving on part-time jobs and scraps I saved from my trainee stipend. I can’t afford this neighbourhood.”

Hyungwon merely smiled lazily at him. “Trust me on this. Have I ever done you wrong?”

Hoseok eyed him dubiously.

“On second thought, don’t answer that,” Hyungwon laughed.

The taxi pulled up to the base of a highrise, and Hyungwon handed a card over to the driver. A quick transaction later, they were walking up to the keypad by the pristine glass doors of the lobby. Hyungwon punched in the door code, and they were buzzed in.

“Your friend lives _here?”_ Hoseok asked incredulously. The lobby was expansive and modern, and gleaming from every inch. Privately, he wondered if he could even _afford_ to look at the bouquet adorning the coffee table in the lounge.

Hyungwon waved at the impeccably dressed concierge before leading them to the elevators.

“Yup,” he replied. “We’re friends with his landlord too.”

“Your friend who’s looking for a roommate; what’s he like?” Hoseok asked. Surely anyone who could afford to live here could afford to live alone.

“His name is Changkyun. You’ll meet him very soon.”

It was a short ride up in an elevator the size of Hoseok’s bathroom. Hyungwon rapped on unit 222’s door, and a young man’s voice within shouted, “It’s unlocked! Come in!”

“Hey jagi,” Hyungwon called as they stepped in and removed their shoes.

Hoseok tilted his head in confusion. _Jagi?_

“Living room!” replied the same young voice.

The apartment within was a mishmash of minimal furniture and bold, pop-art decor. A glance at the wall-length windows revealed a panorama-like view of the city, but Hoseok’s eye was drawn to the room’s occupants. In the centre of the room, bracketed by an eclectic assortment of chairs and sofas, three cats were tussling about on a plush rug while two young men slightly younger than Hoseok looked on affectionately.

They both looked up at Hoseok and Hyungwon.

“This is my friend Lee Hoseok,” said Hyungwon. “Hyung, meet Lee Jooheon—”

The dimpled one waved cheerfully.

“—and Im Changkyun.”

The other one — Hoseok’s prospective roommate — nodded and smiled politely. His impassive gaze flickered over Hoseok, lingering here and there, giving him the unsettling feeling of being assessed by some unknown criteria. He wondered if Changkyun had already made his mind up about him.

“Hi,” said Hoseok. He smiled, anxious to make a good impression. “It’s nice to meet you both.”

“Please, sit down!” Jooheon gestured at the chairs all around them. “I’ll get you some water…”

Jooheon disappeared into the kitchen. Hoseok sat down on a loveseat, and the white Bengal on the floor pounced up to sniff at his trousers.

“Hoseok-ssi, how do you like the neighbourhood?” asked Changkyun. His voice was unexpectedly deep for such a young face. “Are you excited to live here?”

“I like it a lot,” said Hoseok automatically. He did a double take. “Did Hyungwon tell you about the roommate thing already?”

“Nope,” said Hyungwon, showing his phone screen. “I only texted Jooheon to ask if Changkyunnie’s here too.”

It was true. The only texts exchanged that afternoon with “Joohoney” were [ _Hey is Changkyunnie at yours? I want you guys to meet my friend_ ] and [ _!!! yes he is! come on over!!!_ ].

“It only makes sense that you’d be looking for a roommate,” Changkyun said, tilting his head. “These two have been complaining that I don’t get enough meaningful human interaction, and here you are, a human being, right after Illusion Entertainment went bankrupt and your contract was terminated.”

Hoseok could feel his eyes popping out of his skull. He turned to Hyungwon, who merely shrugged in amusement.

Changkyun continued, as though the exchange hadn’t happened. “If it makes you feel better, Hoseok-ssi, I think you would’ve made a great solo artist.”

Hoseok shook his head in confusion. “How do you know all that? Are you a mind-reader or something? Did you Google me?”

“Is Changkyunnie doing that thing again?” Jooheon came back into the living room with two glasses of water in his hands. He handed one to Hoseok and one to Hyungwon.

 _What thing?_ Hoseok wondered. Against all logic, his mind shouted, _Mind reading?!_

“Not a mind-reader,” Changkyun said, smiling a little self-consciously. “Nor did I have time to Google you. I just made an educated guess.”

“An educated guess,” Hoseok echoed. He realized he was starting to sound rather rude, but his mind was having a hard time reconciling how a virtual stranger could know so much about him from an ‘educated guess.’    

“Um.” Changkyun looked like he was starting to regret speaking up. “Shall I explain?”

“Yes, please,” Hoseok replied. Hyungwon and Jooheon leaned forward in their seats eagerly.

Changkyun’s eyes roamed over Hoseok.

“Well, firstly, you have more empty piercings than the average person and you’re too pretty—”

Hyungwon stifled a cough. Hoseok blushed, and the Bengal began pawing at his thigh.

“—to not have been scouted. But I don’t recognize you from anywhere so you haven’t debuted yet. Plus your clothes are all moderately expensive and you take better care of your skin that the average man. Hence, trainee,” said Changkyun.

Hoseok’s eyes widened in surprise. Now that he wasn’t in training, there was really no need to keep up with his expensive skincare routine, but old habits die hard. It was pretty impressive that Changkyun had picked up on that.

While the younger man had seemed timid before, his voice became confident and calm as he continued. “However, you’ve got a discount price tag sticker stuck to your pants that Eleanor is playing with, which suggests to me that you worked a retail shift today. And judging by the time of day—”

His eyes flicked to a clock on the wall, and they all followed his gaze. It had just gone three.

“—it’s a part-time job, which is nowhere near enough to pay rent in Seoul, which is why you need a roommate.”

“Wow,” Hoseok said, dazed. All that, and from a single glance. Changkyun’s reasoning was impeccable, and it astounded him how little time he took to synthesize his observations into a coherent conclusion. “That was amazing, but how are you so sure I was under Illusion?”

“Your hair,” said Changkyun simply, glancing at the top of Hoseok’s brunette head. “Your roots look like they’ve been growing out for three weeks, which was exactly how long ago Illusion went under. Most idols dye their hair just in time to film music videos, but you never got the chance to, so you haven’t touched up your roots since.”

 _Incredible._ “And the solo artist bit?”

“Illusion needed a new solo artist after Sunmi sued and left, right?”

Hoseok nodded.

“It was just a balance of probability,” Changkyun explained simply. “Plus they’d be insane to put you in a group; you’d outshine everyone else.”

“Oh,” said Hoseok.

There was a beat of silence, then Hyungwon and Jooheon burst into laughter, clutching onto each other as they wheezed. On the floor, the cats jumped and glanced inquisitively at them.

Hoseok’s cheeks warmed. In less than ten minutes of meeting Im Changkyun, he’d gone through the strangest rollercoaster of emotions — curiosity, bewilderment, feeling exposed, and now feeling strangely flattered…

Changkyun looked around himself in confusion before his cheeks turned pink too.

“I was speaking _objectively,”_ he wailed, “not _hitting on_ him!”

“We know, Changkyunnie,” Jooheon gasped, wiping a tear from his eye. “But it’s just so _funny.”_

He dissolved into a fresh fit of laughter, and Hyungwon promptly joined him.

Changkyun turned to Hoseok with plaintive eyes. “Hoseok-ssi, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I’ve been told that I can be too much sometimes.”

“No no!” Hoseok said quickly. “That was fine, that was amazing! I’ve never seen anyone do that!”

“You flatter me,” said Changkyun with a little smile.

“Our Changkyunnie is a member of Mensa with an IQ of 180,” said Jooheon, eyes scrunched into crescents as he smiled proudly. “He works as a private investigator, and the Seoul Metropolitan Police invite him to join their toughest cases all the time.”

Hoseok whistled. “No way,” he murmured in awe.

Changkyun smiled modestly.

“An IQ of 180 but he can’t cook for shit,” Hyungwon sighed. “Another reason why he needs a roommate. To make sure he doesn’t starve to death.”

“I can cook,” said Changkyun mulishly. “It’s just following instructions. I just can’t be bothered.”

Hyungwon looked at him pointedly. “Your diet is unbalanced. What would your brother say?”

“It’s true, bro.” Jooheon nodded apologetically in agreement.

“If you’d rather not have a roommate, I understand,” said Hoseok. Disappointment washed over him. It would’ve been nice to find a roommate and not have to go back to his glorified shoebox, but clearly Changkyun still felt uncomfortable about the prospect of sharing a living space. Hoseok couldn’t blame him for that. “This area is way out of my budget anyways.”

Changkyun’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Oh no, that’s not what I was implying! You seem very nice and I’d be happy to have you as a roommate. Plus Eleanor likes you so much already,” he added quietly, glancing at the Bengal now rubbing its cheeks on Hoseok’s arm.

“Don’t worry about the rent, Hoseok-ssi,” said Jooheon. “Pay what you can, and I’ll take care of the rest.”

“How? Are you friends with the landlord too?” Hoseok asked.

Jooheon turned to Hyungwon with raised eyebrows. “Didn’t you tell him?”

“Ah.” Hyungwon’s mouth dropped open comically. “I forgot.”

Turning back to Hoseok, Jooheon said simply, “I am the landlord. I own all four apartments on this floor.”

Hoseok’s jaw dropped.

“You look younger than me,” he said. “Wow. How—”

“Bitcoin,” said Jooheon, smiling and shrugging. “I invested early and cashed in right when it peaked. Changkyun and I trade stocks as a side hustle now. I’m pretty good at it, but he’s even better. We have way more money than we could ever use in a lifetime, even after donating to charities.”

Hoseok slumped.

“I’m sitting in an Itaewon apartment with Billboard-charting DJ H.One, a certified genius police consultant, a self-made millionaire in his early 20s, and their cats,” he mumbled to himself in disbelief.

Jooheon eyed him curiously. “Well, you were pretty close to becoming a celebrity in your own right, too.”

Hoseok mustered what he hoped looked like a grateful smile. It didn’t really feel great to be reminded of how close he’d been to debuting, especially in the presence of three wildly talented and accomplished people.

Changkyun nodded vigorously. “The market would’ve loved you too! You—”

He stopped at the sight of Hyungwon shaking his head minutely. Hoseok held his breath.

“Um, would you like to see my apartment?” Changkyun amended timidly. “It’s a bit messy right now, but I think you’ll like it.”

“Sure, that would be great,” said Hoseok, glad the topic had been dropped. He felt out of his element with Changkyun, but the younger man seemed like someone he could get along well with given time. He was curious to see how Changkyun lived, and to see if he could slot neatly into that space too.

Changkyun scrambled up, looking relieved. “Jooheon-ah, I’ll talk to you later about that new startup you were looking at. Hyungwonnie-hyung, thank you for introducing me to Hoseok-ssi.”

“No problem, Changkyunnie,” said Hyungwon as Jooheon saluted jovially. They stood up to see Hoseok and Changkyun off.

“Bye Hyungwon,” said Hoseok, hugging his friend tightly.

Hyungwon patted his back before releasing him and said, “We’ll see more of each other from now on.”

Hoseok extended his hand to Jooheon. “Jooheon-ssi, thank you. It was great meeting you.”

“Call me Jooheon,” he replied, shaking his hand cheerfully. “We’re friends now.”

“Alright, but you’ll have to call me hyung,” said Hoseok, smiling genuinely.

“Come by to talk to me rent after you move in next week!”

“Deal.”

Changkyun was waiting by the door with Eleanor the white Bengal gathered in his arms, so Hoseok nodded goodbye to the others and joined him. As he left, he could hear Hyungwon ask, “Jagi, do you still have those chips I like?”

They quietly made their way down the corridor of level 22.

“Are Hyungwon and Jooheon dating?” asked Hoseok. He’d never heard Hyungwon call anyone _jagi,_ not even himself when they dated very briefly in high school.

Changkyun tilted his head. “No? They’re just really good friends. I guess some people call their close friends terms of endearment like that.”

“Huh.” _Interesting._

“When Jooheon bought those apartments, he wanted Hyungwonnie-hyung to move here too. He likes having friends nearby, and even offered to lower the rent to way below the standard around here. But Hyungwonnie-hyung already liked where he was living, so he talked some sense into him. Finally he decided to lease to other people instead.”

“Oh, I see.” It was a relief to know he wasn’t being treated like a charity case.  

Changkyun stopped in front of unit 221 and punched in the door code. The moment he opened the door, Eleanor leapt out of his arms and bounded towards a cat tree in the living room. She clambered up and began meticulously licking her paws.

“This is where we live, Eleanor and I,” said Changkyun as they removed their shoes. “Sorry it’s messy; I don’t like having housekeepers here. They always mess my things up.”

The dimensions of Changkyun’s apartment were identical to Jooheon’s, but that was about where the similarities ended. The living room was tidily furnished with modern furniture that balanced style with comfort. An upright piano was tucked into the corner, with what looked like handwritten sheet music on the desk.

Hoseok looked around, hoping to piece together a portrait of Changkyun from his surroundings. The bookshelves that flanked the widescreen TV were crammed to bursting with reference books of all kinds, from encyclopedias to chemistry texts to tomes on art history. A glass-fronted cabinet held enough laboratory equipment to stock an amateur lab.

“But I do tidy up once a week,” Changkyun added nervously. “I have a Roomba and everything.”

“It’s really nice,” Hoseok said honestly. “It’s not nearly as messy as you keep saying it is.”

It was true that he had a lot of things, but they were all neatly stored and kept very clean. The only things that could really be classified as clutter were Eleanor’s toys, which were scattered on the floor near her tree, and an empty mug on the side table. It was clear that Changkyun had gone to great lengths to keep his apartment from looking like a library too, judging by the tasteful prints he’d chosen to hang on his walls. It was an elegant, cozy home, and not one Hoseok would associate with a man in his early 20s.

Changkyun smiled. “I’ll show you your room?”

“Sure.”

They made their way through the apartment. Changkyun nudged open a bedroom door, and Hoseok smiled at the sunlit space within. He could already envision where all his things would go. He thought of his keyboard piano, gathering dust in his cramped apartment, and felt a pang of guilt.

“This room would be yours. I emptied it out last week when Jooheon and Hyungwonnie-hyung started threatening to call my brother. It’s the second-biggest bedroom in the apartment and should have enough space for all your recording equipment.”

“How—”

Changkyun merely smiled at him. “I took an educated guess.”

Hoseok laughed, and a second later Changkyun joined him, giggling quietly. Suddenly, Changkyun looked at him seriously.

“Hoseok-ssi, I’d really like it if you became my roommate,” he said. He began fidgeting with a sleeve. “It seems like we could both use a change of pace, and I think this is a good opportunity for us both. You seem like someone I could get along with well, and I think I could be a good roommate to you too.”

Hoseok smiled. He’d been wrong to feel intimidated by Changkyun’s achievements. Massive intellect or not, he was really just a boy with the same insecurities as many other boys. Hoseok had leapt at the opportunity for a new roommate out of financial need, but for Changkyun, the meeting must have been a huge step out of his comfort zone.

“I’d like to be your roommate too,” he said. “Under one condition.”

Changkyun looked at him hopefully.

“You don’t have to call me Hoseok-ssi.”

“Oh,” said Changkyun. He smiled shyly. “Okay… hyung.”

The smile on Changkyun’s face felt like the opening of a door Hoseok had never known existed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm bluem00nrabbit on [twt](https://twitter.com/bluem00nrabbit)/[cc](https://curiouscat.me/bluem00nrabbit). Come say hi!


	2. The Agents of the SMPA and the Most Dangerous Man in South Korea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Groceries, eavesdropping, dinners — and bad news.

Whether by mistake or by design, Jooheon had grossly understated in saying that the Seoul Metropolitan Police often consulted with Changkyun on their toughest cases. Perhaps he should’ve said “Changkyun’s work is _essential_ to solving their toughest cases.” Heck, or maybe even “You have no idea what Changkyun gets away with saying to them just because they need him that much.” Hoseok came to learn this on the very day he moved into unit 221.

Hoseok had just hauled his last cardboard box from the elevator, through the apartment, and into his room. To help him move in, Changkyun had taken the day off from his private investigation work, which he conducted out of a bedroom converted to an office-slash-study, and postponed all his meetings with paying clients.

“You really didn’t have to do that,” said Hoseok apologetically, wiping at the sweat condensing on his brow with his forearm. “I could’ve done this myself.”

“Don’t worry, they’ll live,” replied an equally sweaty Changkyun. He frowned, then added cryptically, “Probably.”

“Oh.” Hoseok wasn’t sure if he was meant to interpret that literally. It was only their second meeting, and he was still getting the hang of the younger’s mannerisms and habits. “Well, thank you. I really appreciate it.”

Changkyun shot him a polite smile, then sliced open a box with a box cutter and began pulling out the pieces of Hoseok’s bed frame. Suddenly, his phone rang in the pocket of his sweatpants. He fished it out and scowled at the screen.

“Sorry, but I really need to take this call,” said Changkyun, getting up from his cross-legged position on the floor.

“Don’t worry, I can handle it from here.”

Changkyun stepped out into the corridor to answer the phone, but Hoseok could still hear his voice as he got to work assembling his bed frame. Despite his best effort to not listen, his curiosity got the better of him.

“Im Changkyun speaking,” Changkyun’s deep voice intoned. “Good evening, Agent Park. How may I help you?”

There was a pause as the caller replied.

“You mean the case that I helped you close last week?” Changkyun’s voice was even, but carried an undertone of incredulity. “We had it in the bag — what happened?”

Half a minute later, Changkyun sighed. When he spoke again, he sounded irritated. “I warned you that a team of ten wouldn’t be enough for the raid. This is why I don’t like dealing with you, Agent Park. You never take my advice.”

Hoseok’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. Not only did it sound like Changkyun was getting another request from the SMPA, but was also scolding the agent for a job badly done.

“Well, look where that got us. Now we have to find their new operations base. Frankly, this is a waste of taxpayers’ money.”

Was Changkyun even _allowed_ to talk to law enforcement like that? Where was the meek young man whom he’d met last week in Jooheon’s living room? Hoseok frowned, wondering if Changkyun’s harsh words came from a place of hubris, or if he was really being disrespected at work.

Changkyun sighed again. “Fine, fine, I’ll take the case. But can you send Agent Son this time? … Oh, he’s busy? … Fine. _Fine._ I’ll see you soon.”

Changkyun’s footsteps were quick and impatient as he returned to Hoseok’s bedroom.

“Someone’s coming to deliver some files in about fifteen minutes,” he grumbled.

Hoseok’s curiosity was sufficiently piqued. Perhaps this was another opportunity to learn more about his new roommate.

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” he ventured, “but that conversation sounded intense.”

“Yeah,” said Changkyun. He held a piece of the bed frame in place for Hoseok to screw on securely. “That was Agent Park. He always undermines me because I’m younger and a civilian. And that leads to their operations getting botched,” he added, rolling his eyes.

Hoseok stared at Changkyun in awe. When he’d met Changkyun last week, the younger man was reserved, quiet, and shy. But the Changkyun before him, whose mind was now occupied with work, was confident, self-assured — and, dare he say, a tad sassy. It was like meeting a set of identical twins with opposite personalities. It threw him off-balance, but also made him wonder what other surprises Changkyun had in store.

“How long have you been working with the police?” he prompted, leaning closer.

“Since I turned twenty, so only three years. But I’ve learned a lot during that time,” replied Changkyun, a hint proudly. “I could’ve started earlier but my brother said I should finish my bachelor’s degree first.”

“Wow,” Hoseok murmured. By that account, Changkyun must’ve finished his bachelor’s early.

Changkyun passed a screw to Hoseok. “Let’s finish this bed frame before Park arrives and drains the life out of me.”

They quickly finished the rest of the frame and hoisted Hoseok’s double-sized mattress over the slats. When the doorbell rang, they’d just returned to the kitchen to rehydrate. Hoseok watched in fascination as Changkyun schooled his features into impassivity and opened the door.

In stepped a man in his late forties, already greying at the temples. He glanced at Hoseok and grunted, “Got yourself a boyfriend now, Im?”

Hoseok bristled and crossed his arms, suddenly conscious of the skin bared by his shorts and tank top. Now it was clear why Changkyun had so much contempt for the unpleasant man.

To Changkyun’s credit, he merely smiled blandly. “That’s my new roommate, Lee Hoseok. Say what you want about me but leave his name out of your mouth, please.”

“As you like,” Agent Park sneered.

“This way to my office.” Changkyun directed the agent down the corridor, leaving Hoseok alone in the living room to watching his retreating figure.

Eleanor’s head emerged from a carpeted cave on her cat tree. She peered knowingly at him as though telepathically saying, _I know, right?_

He stared back and said, “Looks like it’s just you and me, girl.”

She slinked out and followed him back to his bedroom. There, she leapt up onto his bed and quietly minded her own business as he screwed the pieces of his desk together.

The desk looked right at home by the large window, even more so than it had at his old apartment. Struck by that same complicated mix of feelings he’d felt when first viewing the room, he rummaged through his unopened boxes before finding the one his keyboard piano was stored in. When he’d positioned it just where he wanted and plugged it in, he suddenly hesitated, torn in two by yearning and trepidation. Drawing a deep breath, he played a chord, pressing down the keys so that the hollow, electronic sound rang through the silence.

“It’s been a while, old friend,” he murmured.  

The reply came in the form of two taps on the doorframe of his open door, startling him out of his thoughts.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” said Changkyun.

“No, it’s okay,” said Hoseok hastily, hoping Changkyun hadn’t heard him thinking out loud. “Agent Park left?”

“Yup. He only came to drop off some files.” Changkyun sat down on the edge of the bed and smiled down at Eleanor. When the cat crawled into his lap, he began stroking her forehead. It was a charming picture.

“He’s… something.” Hoseok sat on the bed too, giving the younger man a wide berth.

“He’s a diligent worker in his own right, I guess,” said Changkyun. “Hyunwoo-hyung says I should stop antagonizing him because it makes us less productive. Maybe I’ll try that this time…”

“What happened last time?”

“I helped Park’s team figure out the logistics of a drug-smuggling operation earlier this month,” Changkyun explained. “We had enough to catch them red-handed, but he underestimated the amount of security that gang would have. They got away, and now we have to start all over again.”

“That really sucks,” said Hoseok. He could relate to the disappointment and frustration of hard work wasted.

Changkyun quirked a lopsided smile. “It is what it is, y’know?”

Oh, did Hoseok know.

—

“I’m needed at the station so I’m heading out now, hyung.”

Hoseok jumped and clutched his robe around his bare chest. It was the first morning after his move-in, and he’d woken up feeling thoroughly disoriented by the soft light filtering unfamiliarly into his new bedroom. When he’d finally gotten his bearings, he’d snuck to the kitchen to see what he could feed his growling stomach.

Changkyun hovered by the island, dressed smartly in a button-down and slacks. A side part in his hair revealed a sliver of his forehead and his sharp eyebrows. The combination made him look a good five years older.

“Okay,” Hoseok squeaked. He felt like he’d been caught snooping.  

“Help yourself to anything you need, okay?” Changkyun asked, eyebrows drawn anxiously together. “You’re welcome to use my piano too.”

Changkyun must have put a lot of thought into how he could make him feel welcome, Hoseok realized. It was endearing.

“Thank you, Changkyun,” replied Hoseok sincerely. “I’d really like that.”

Changkyun smiled at him, this time a touch warmer than the polite smiles he’d received before. “Have a good day.”

“You too.”

With that, Changkyun left, but not before cooing at Eleanor where she was perched on her tree.

Hoseok opened the refrigerator again and frowned at the contents. There wasn’t much — on the top shelf sat leftovers from the takeout that they’d eaten in (awkward) silence the night before. Below that, half a loaf of bread, a nearly empty carton of eggs, milk, and a cluster of beer bottles. A peek in the garbage bin revealed stacks of takeout containers. It was no wonder that Hyungwon and Jooheon worried about Changkyun’s health.

Changkyun was trying his best to be a good roommate, so it was his turn to do the same. After a quick breakfast of eggs on toast, he quickly dressed and left for the grocery store, swinging an eco-friendly shopper bag from one hand.

The human mind worked in bewildering ways. Sometimes, it only took the smallest shift from one’s vantage point to reveal the full picture of reality.

The streets of Itaewon couldn’t be more different from those of Hoseok’s old neighbourhood. Everything his eyes passed over gleamed with a golden, aspirational aura. He drank in the sight of stylish, elegant people going about their day, the towering advertisements of idols in their otherworldly glory, and thought about how he too had aspired to that lifestyle — one where comfort, happiness, and health were a card’s tap away.

Hoseok turned the corner and stepped into the grocery store. Cool, conditioned air washed over him, as did a very familiar sight. Hoseok had never been inside a grocery store in Itaewon before, but to his relief, the long aisles and the white linoleum floors looked no different from that in other grocery stores he’d shopped at.

 _Rich people need groceries too, I guess,_ he thought absentmindedly.

But that relief didn’t last long. As he walked through the aisles, adding this and that to his basket, he came to a crushing realization. Just like the grocery store’s interior looked the same despite the affluent neighbourhood, he too was the same no matter where he was. Although his environment had changed, he was still the same person stuck in limbo: no longer a trainee, but not yet whatever else his future had in store for him.

Hoseok was a firm believer that fortune favoured the bold. That belief had kept him strong throughout his training, when every day, every decision the producers and choreographers and stylists made that overrode his own felt like a step in the wrong direction. Training had been hell — and he’d convinced himself that it would be worth it when he finally debuted.

Without the tether of a guaranteed career, he felt hopelessly lost now, like a ship drifting at sea with without its crew. He’d spent so long fixated on a distant goal _just_ over the horizon that he no longer knew how to see different paths.

 _But taking the chance to move in with Changkyun was a bold move, wasn’t it?_ a small voice in his head chimed hopefully.

The pessimistic part of him retorted, _The only good that’s doing right now is maybe saving money._

He sighed, feeling the full weight of reality, and listlessly turned the corner. His shoes squeaked as he dragged his feet on the linoleum. Out of sheer habit, he grabbed a pack of his favourite instant ramen—

—then paused. The reason Hyungwon and Jooheon wanted Hoseok to be Changkyun’s roommate was because they wanted him to keep an eye on the younger and make sure he lived healthier. How could he do that while shovelling processed food into his mouth without being a total hypocrite?

With no small amount of regret, he placed the noodles back on the shelf and made for the produce section. He owed it to Changkyun, but more importantly, he owed it to himself. It would do him good anyways.

Sometimes being good to yourself is hard.

—

Changkyun gave the brief one final scan before tucking it back into its manila envelope, which he neatly stowed into his tote bag. He couldn’t put his finger on it yet, but there was something about the case that nudged uncomfortably at his mind.  

Across the table in the conference room where the briefing was being held, Agent Park was eyeing him impatiently. Around them, other officers assigned to his division waited in tense silence for either of them to speak.

As Changkyun flicked his gaze back to the older man, Hyunwoo’s words echoed in his head. _Changkyun-ah, stop antagonizing him. How would you feel if someone half your age started telling you how to do your job, even if they were right? Picking fights won’t get anything done._

Changkyun couldn’t argue with Hyunwoo’s logic. Fighting achieved nothing. If anything, it made them both pettier and more eager to one-up each other.

However, it irked him to no end that Park chose to rely on his “experience” rather than trust Changkyun’s careful analysis of each unique situation. It was plain bad mathematics — experience was just a culmination of past results lumped together into a sloppy average. It was good for helping one make snap decisions, but frankly quite useless when each case they tackled presented complex outliers. That was what Changkyun had been brought onto those cases for — to zero in on each unknown variable, examine it from all angles, and explain down to the last detail what it was, what it meant, and what to do about it.

“Well?” Park prompted. His jaw was tense _(a headache?)_ and his fingers drummed irritably on the table’s smooth surface, calling Changkyun’s attention to them. To his surprise, Park’s index and middle fingertips weren’t stained quite as yellow anymore. That explained the headache: Park was trying to quit smoking despite the heavy stress of the reopened case.

“I think I have a better idea of where—” Changkyun sighed inwardly “— _we_ went wrong now. I’ll start on this right away.” He thought about his brother, and the glib, effortless words he’d use to flatter people and sway them to his side. “Thank you for your hard work, Agent Park.”

Park’s eyebrows shot up in mild surprise at Changkyun’s civility. He gave an abortive nod and replied, “You too, Im. Call me if anything comes up.”

Changkyun nodded back, equally surprised at Park’s reaction, and exited the conference room. Park was left sitting at the table with a dumbfounded expression.

Changkyun walked down the hallway, pondering on the interaction they’d just shared. He wasn’t a fan of saying meaningless niceties — especially ones he didn’t believe were true — but he could see the value in them now that he’d tried it out.

He shook those thoughts out of his head and turned to pondering how to spend the afternoon before buckling down for work. Perhaps visiting his favourite café? A coffee with a side of people-watching sounded like just what he needed. The weather was fair, and he could already taste the breeze that would flutter in through the café’s opened door.

But as he neared the elevator, he remembered that Hyunwoo-hyung’s office was also on the same floor. He switched directions and trotted down the corridor to find him.

Hyunwoo’s office door was cracked open, so he tapped the doorframe lightly before stepping in. Hyunwoo looked up and immediately broke into a wide, scrunch-eyed smile.

“Changkyun-ah, come in!” he said.

“Hey hyung,” Changkyun replied and sat down at Hyunwoo’s desk, already feeling at ease and comforted by his hyung’s straightforward and uncomplicated nature. “What are you working on?”

“There’s been a flood of new product on the streets lately,” Hyunwoo groaned, hiding a yawn behind a large hand. “Laced with fentanyl. The suppliers are hiding their tracks so well. There’s been so many overdoses in the last week alone, but we still don’t know where it’s coming from.”

Changkyun hummed sympathetically. “I guess we’re in the same boat,” he said.

Hyunwoo quirked a tired smile. “I heard the drug smuggling case got reopened.”

“Yup. Technically it was never closed to begin with,” said Changkyun, leaning back in his chair to gaze at the ceiling. “Park botched it by sending not enough people to the raid. They seized the cargo but everyone got away.”

“Damn,” Hyunwoo winced. “But don’t—”

“Yeah, I know, don’t pick fights,” said Changkyun. He paused. “I tried saying something nice to him today.”

“What’d you say?”

“I said ‘thank you for your hard work,’” said Changkyun. “Personally I didn’t think he worked especially hard at all, except for trying to quit smoking. It was a meaningless thing to say but he still seemed pleasantly surprised.”

“But it’s not meaningless to him, though.” Hyunwoo smiled warmly. “You’re starting to see what I mean now, right?”

“Yeah…” Changkyun nodded pensively. He wondered what Park would be like to him now if he’d started their working relationship on a more sociable foot.

“Are you coming over for dinner tonight? Your brother misses you.”

Changkyun pursed his lips. A lot had changed in his life recently — chiefly, the addition of his new roommate Hoseok — and he was still learning how to adapt. In the span of a week, his apartment had suddenly doubled its number of (human) occupants, and he was still ambivalent about it.

His brother was caring to an almost overbearing degree, and would definitely have a lot to say regarding this new development. Personally, Changkyun preferred to keep things to himself for now while he found his balance again.

That, and also the fact that interactions with his brother were stilted, to say the least.

“I think I’ll pass,” said Changkyun finally. He smiled at Hyunwoo, who nodded understandingly back. “Give him my regards.”

“Got it. _Im Changkyun sends his regards,”_ Hyunwoo joked. They shared a laugh at his mock-ominous tone. Changkyun felt a rush of affection for Hyunwoo’s subtle, witty humour.

“You’re always welcome to come over, Changkyun-ah,” said Hyunwoo. “Our home is your home too.”

Changkyun gave a small smile. “I know.”

He knew it, but didn’t feel it.

—

In the end, Changkyun was too unsettled by having his mind pulled in different directions to _not_ distract himself with the comforting buzz of coffee shop chatter. As he rode the subway to the financial district, he quickly compiled a list of what he thought was tugging at his mind _(brother, roommate, case),_  then shelved it to ruminate over later.

His favourite café was nicely situated in the financial district, making it the place where highballing stock brokers and businesspeople took their coffee and lunch breaks — and, inevitably, vented to their colleagues about work-related stresses. An hour or so spent eavesdropping there while leisurely refilling his cup from a carafe of perfectly brewed coffee was enough to inform Changkyun on the state of the stock market way better than any news report ever could. This information he’d share with Jooheon, and together they’d make informed decisions on what to do with their investment portfolios.

Surely enough, the moment he sat down with his coffee, panini, and a newspaper, a man he recognized as the manager of an infamous rapper strolled in with an uncharacteristic spring in his step. Under the pretense of casually casting his eyes around while sipping his coffee, Changkyun covertly observed the man’s actions.

The manager, a man in his late twenties, had been frequenting the café for over a month. With each visit, his expression had become more and more sullen, and his orders, more and more indulgent.

However, instead of a slice of cheesecake, this time the manager opted for a healthy, filling salad and a green kale smoothie. Changkyun waited with no small amount of interest to see if he could learn the impetus for this sudden change.

The manager’s salad and smoothie were momentarily forgotten as he pulled out his phone to make a call. As he waited, he bounced his leg in excitement.

“Hey babe,” the manager said, beaming as soon as his call was picked up. “Guess what? … I’m quitting! I’m doing it! … Why?”

The manager lowered his voice. Changkyun raised his newspaper to cover half his face so he could lean closer without being too obvious.

“He’s out of control. I can’t stop him. He’s actually addicted. … Yeah, and the lyrics for his new comeback — they’re horrible. The most sexist shit imaginable. … Yeah. … I don’t know, I’ll never understand how the company gave him the green light, but I just can’t work there anymore. I wish I’d listened to you sooner.”

Ahh, so that was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

“Well, it’s the company’s problem now! I’m free and I’m going to hit the gym later!”

The manager gave a soaring, joyful laugh that lifted the sallowness from his face. His mouth settled into a fond smile, and his voice softened. “Thank you, babe. I love you too. Thanks for toughing it out with me.”

He ended the call with a happy sigh. Changkyun smiled too, and put down his newspaper. The manager — the _former_ manager’s trajectory had been concerning of late, so he was happy that the man had finally found his true direction. Changkyun pulled out a slim notebook and a pen from his tote bag, and jotted a quick note.  

> _Sell shares from Prism Ent. before problematic rapper’s comeback. Impact on other agencies? Discuss w/ Jooheon & Hyungwon. _

The former manager was now digging into his salad with the vigour of a man reborn, so Changkyun turned his attention to the other patrons in the café. In the corner, a frazzled woman wearing a charcoal grey blazer was hunched over her table with her fingers massaging at her temples. Her eyes lit up in desperate relief when another similarly dressed — and stressed — woman placed a precariously full Americano in front of her before sitting down across from her with her own drink. As they launched into a rapidly muttered conversation, Changkyun opened his ears and began eating his panini.

—

When Changkyun returned home mid-afternoon, it took several beats longer than usual before Eleanor came slinking up to the door to greet him. Smiling at her pretty little face, he bent down to pick her up. She meowed and placed her small paw on his shoulder, and his heart gave a happy quiver.

From the kitchen came the _tak tak tak_ of a knife chopping at vegetables on a chopping board. It was a sound he hadn’t heard in a while — probably the last time was when his brother had guilted him into visiting for a home-cooked dinner, a couple months ago. The odds were miniscule, but he found himself dreading to find his brother cooking in his kitchen.

 _The odds_ are _miniscule,_ he scolded himself. _It’s just Hoseok-hyung._

With Eleanor bundled in his arms, he toed off his shoes and padded to the kitchen to investigate.

The air was fragrant with the smell of browned beef and caramelized onions. The delicious smell teased at Changkyun’s stomach, and he quickened his steps to see what was cooking.

Indeed, it was Hoseok, apron-clad at the counter, methodically reducing a mound of vegetables to cubes for what looked like a hearty soup. His quiet, focused presence filled the little space, making Changkyun hesitate to step closer.

Just that morning, he had inadvertently given Hoseok a scare by being too quiet, so he made his footsteps a bit louder as he approached. Hoseok looked over his shoulder, and shot Changkyun a relaxed smile.

“Hey, you’re back,” he said, setting down the knife. Singing lowly under his breath, Hoseok transferred the vegetables into a pot waiting on the stovetop, added the browned meat, chickpeas, a large pinch of salt, plus seasonings Changkyun was sure he’d never bought. He topped it with broth and turned on the heat.

Hoseok’s confidence in the kitchen made Changkyun feel like he was a child again, watching their family’s housekeeper from his perch at the table.

“Yup. It didn’t take long,” said Changkyun, setting Eleanor down. He wavered uncertainly for a moment, wondering if Hoseok would welcome his company or his help with the dishes.

However, Hoseok solved his dilemma by fishing two mugs out of the cupboard and filling the kettle with water.

“I’m going to make tea for myself,” he said. His broad back was still turned to Changkyun, muscles flexing as he rummaged through the cupboards. “D’you want some too? Or I could make you coffee. Oh, I also bought mango juice if you’d like that.”

“I just had coffee,” said Changkyun, sitting down on a stool at the kitchen island. Were his jitters from the caffeine rush, or the feeling of being dwarfed by his roommate’s easy-going energy?

Hoseok smiled. “Juice, then.”

He poured Changkyun a glass of juice the colour of sunshine and set it in front of him. Changkyun slowly sipped the sweet beverage; as he did so, he watched Hoseok drop a tea bag — also something he couldn’t remember ever buying — into a mug and add a dollop of honey. The feeling of being a child welled up again, and the question popped out of his mouth before he could check himself.

“Can you cook a lot of things, hyung?”

Hoseok looked at him in surprise, then leaned back on the counter, crossing his thick arms over his chest. His full lips pouted in contemplation, and the sudden cuteness of the action was so at odds with his impressive physique that Changkyun felt slightly dumbfounded.

“Yeah, I guess I can,” he finally replied. “I have some go-to dishes I could cook with my eyes closed, but I’m pretty good at following recipes too.”

“That’s really nice,” said Changkyun sincerely. “I know I told Jooheon and Hyungwonnie-hyung I can cook, but that was mostly to get them off my back.”

Hoseok giggled. It sounded like a sunbeam.

“Yeah, I figured,” he said kindly. “I only learned because I was living on my own during training, and if I bought takeout I might as well’ve paid to wreck my diet.”  

A diet to maintain that level of muscle mass must’ve been formidable. Changkyun shuddered at the thought of having to cook to meet such exacting requirements.

“Do you… like cooking?” he asked dubiously. Maybe being able to feed oneself without resorting to takeout was a personality trait.

“Oh God, no,” laughed Hoseok. “I only liked cooking if the other trainees in Illusion were coming over.”

His expression relaxed into something nostalgic as he continued. “Illusion had a boy group in training. A pretty small group. There was Andrew—” he ticked the name off on a finger “— he grew up in Canada — and Minjoon, and Jae. Once every two weeks they’d barge into my apartment with a bag of groceries and demand me to feed them.”

“That sounds like fun,” replied Changkyun. Personally, he thought it sounded chaotic, but each to their own.

“It was,” agreed Hoseok brightly. If Changkyun had sounded doubtful, he must not have noticed. “They were really happy for me when my debut was approved. I should call them though; I haven’t heard from them since the company went under…”

Hoseok trailed off, and so they sipped their drinks and mulled in silence. Hoseok’s gaze was distant, and, if Changkyun was interpreting correctly, slightly troubled.

He waited with bated breath. This was the closest Hoseok had ever come to describing his life as a trainee. Granted, they hadn’t known each other for long — this was only the third day they’d spent in each other’s presence — but usually Changkyun could deduce an almost full picture of people’s lives at this point. Hoseok, however, remained a mystery.

For a man like Hoseok, music must be akin to lifeblood, the same way his own brain was occupied with dozens of puzzles and conundrums. Yet even though Changkyun had spotted his roommate’s keyboard piano plugged in in his bedroom, he hadn’t heard a single note coming from under the door crack.

He cast his eyes toward his upright piano. The sheets he’d left on the keys were in the same positions he’d left them last week — the piano had been untouched, even though Hoseok had wholeheartedly accepted Changkyun’s invitation to use it.   

 _Why?_ Changkyun mused. Why did Hoseok shy away from music when his whole life was built on it and given purpose by it? And why did that bother Changkyun so much?

His thoughts were interrupted by a _ping!_ in his pocket. He dug out his phone and read the email he’d just received.

He let out an audible groan.

Hoseok’s attention snapped back to him, head tilted in curiosity.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Changkyun shook his head in annoyance. “Some high-powered COO of a giant tech company says her cousins hid away some heirlooms she was supposed to inherit from her late grandmother. And now she’s ‘asking’ for my assistance in locating them.”

Cases like these were the bane of his existence.

Hoseok whistled lowly. “At least the pay will be good, right?”

Changkyun grimaced and nodded.

—

After a few more minutes of idle chatter, Changkyun disappeared into his office to video-call with his new client. Hoseok stayed in the kitchen, humming under his breath as he finished cooking dinner. Eleanor sat atop the kitchen island, grooming her fur and quietly watching as he worked. When the last dish was plated, he stepped back to survey the meal.

If he were still living alone, how would his dinner have looked? Would he be slurping up instant ramen in front of his laptop, mindlessly passing time with whatever was trending on Netflix? Sure, Jooheon and Hyungwon wanted a roommate for Changkyun so that the youngest wouldn’t be too absorbed in his work, but it occurred to Hoseok that he, too, would benefit from this arrangement, and not just financially. It felt wonderfully energizing to cook for someone else again. He just hoped that Changkyun, who was used to restaurant-quality takeout, would enjoy his cooking.

Just as he set the last dish onto the dinner table, Changkyun appeared in the kitchen area again, this time dressed in soft sweatpants and a grey hoodie. He sat down at the kitchen table, cupping his cheeks with sweater paws.

“That smells really good, hyung,” said Changkyun, breathing deeply.

“Thank you, I’m glad you think so.” Hoseok watched in amusement as the younger’s eyes roved over the dishes. He returned to the kitchen again to fetch his health supplements so he wouldn’t forget to take them after eating.

“Oh, hyung,” said Changkyun, looking back up. “Do you mind grabbing that green bottle of multivitamins from the back as well?”     

—

One morning several days after Hoseok officially moved into unit 221, he was awoken by a quiet but furious conversation in the corridor outside his bedroom. The voices were muffled, and by the time he was awake enough to make out what they were saying, they’d already moved away. He snatched up his robe, threw it on, and tiptoed out of his bedroom to investigate.

In the entranceway, Changkyun was holding the door open for two men and glaring furiously at the shorter one. At the sound of Hoseok’s approach, the two strangers turned to look at him.

The taller man, tan and broad, was dressed simply in shirtsleeves and slacks. He stood calmly behind the shorter one, and his impassive face gave nothing away. In contrast, the shorter man was clad in an expensive suit. Although his pale face was half-obscured by a face mask, his fierce gaze bore into Hoseok, striking into him a ringing sense of anxiety.

 _Danger,_  his mind screamed. _This man is danger._

“Get out of my home,” Changkyun fumed. _"_ _Go."_

“We’re going now,” said the taller man evenly after a beat. “We’ll talk later.”

With one last piercing look at Hoseok, the shorter man gave a curt nod and swept out into the corridor. Grumbling under his breath, Changkyun slammed the door shut after them.

“Who are they?” Hoseok asked, still staring at the door. “Who was that man?”

“That was the most dangerous man in all of South Korea,” Changkyun replied seriously. After witnessing how deeply Changkyun was involved in policework and the high calibre of his private investigations, Hoseok couldn’t find it in himself to question that statement no matter how bizarre it sounded. “Don’t get mixed up with him. Don’t talk to him. Don’t even breathe in his direction.”

Perhaps Changkyun thought that was an adequate explanation, but it only roused more questions for Hoseok. If he really was as dangerous as Changkyun said he was, then why did Changkyun permit him to be inside their apartment?

“Coming into my home, messing up my study…” Changkyun muttered, disappearing from the living room.

Until that moment, Hoseok had never seen Changkyun so riled up. Who was that man? How did Changkyun come to know him?

—

The meeting with who Changkyun called “the most dangerous man in South Korea” was relegated to a back drawer in Hoseok’s mind, where it occasionally rattled whenever a disgruntled expression crossed Changkyun’s face. Come midweek, however, work got hectic again, and he had no time nor energy to ponder brief encounters with silent men.

On his way home from a shift at the clothing store, Hoseok’s phone rang with a call from Jooheon.

“Hey, Jooheon-ah.”

“Hi, hyung!” chirped Jooheon. “Do you have a moment to talk about rent?”

Hoseok’s heart sank. “I do… Listen, are you _sure_ you’re okay with me paying what I can afford? ‘Cuz at the moment it’s not much.”

“Of course! That’s what I said before, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, but…”

“Actually, I have an idea,” said Jooheon. “How about half the rent you paid at your previous place—”

Hoseok tripped on the air.

“—and half the royalties you make off the next song you sell?”

“Okay, first of all, _how—_ ”

“Changkyun’s got his ways; I’ve got mine,” said Jooheon cheekily. “It wasn’t that hard to find your SoundCloud, _Wonho."_

Hoseok shook his head and huffed a self-deprecating laugh. “Sorry Jooheon, but you’re getting the short end of the stick. I’ve written dozens of songs but Illusion only deemed two of them fit for recording.”

And in the end, the world never even got to hear them.

“Hmm… Let’s just say I have a good instinct for these things, okay?” Jooheon replied. “If I were a producer, I’d even tell you to quit your day-job. Listen, I gotta go, but I hope you’ll think about it.”

“It’s hard to say no to such a good deal,” said Hoseok in amusement. Come to think of it, he did have several songs he was proud of that he’d written before everything went to shit. “Talk to you later!”

“Bye, hyung!”

Hoseok smiled sardonically to himself as he stuck his phone back into his back pocket. He wasn’t sure how he’d go about selling recording rights to his songs, but he supposed he could ask Hyungwon or Sunmi-noona about it.

He was digging through his pockets for his transit card when his phone rang again. _Jooheon must’ve forgotten to mention something,_ he reasoned. Absentmindedly, he picked up the call and wedged his phone between his ear and his shoulder, and continued walking towards the train station.

“Hey, Jooheon, did you forget something?”

“Good afternoon, Lee Hoseok-ssi.” The voice on the other end was definitely not his landlord. It sounded posh and refined, and it chilled Hoseok to the bone.

“Good afternoon,” he replied with trepidation. “May I ask who this is?”

“You may, but you’ll find out soon enough.”

“What do you mean?”

“You live with Im Changkyun. You left the apartment at eight this morning to work your shift at the Zara in Gangnam, and you are now returning home. You’re wearing a light blue Calvin Klein denim jacket over a white T-shirt from Uniqlo. Your black jeans are Levi Strauss. Don’t gape like that; you look ridiculous.”

Hoseok’s stomach lurched with fear. He looked down. The stranger on the phone had gotten every detail right. He was being watched.

“I have eyes all over the city, Hoseok-ssi, and you are surrounded by them right now. Do you understand?”

Hoseok swallowed and nodded.

“Good. You’ll be wise to get into the car.”

An understated black sedan rolled to a stop by the curb. A tall, expressionless woman in a black pantsuit stepped out and opened the back door for him.

“I’ll see you soon, Hoseok-ssi.”

The call ended with a click.

The expressionless woman gestured silently at the door. Hoseok climbed in nervously.

“Where are you taking me?” he asked.

“To someone who wants to meet you,” answered the expressionless woman.

Not another word was said as the driver took them through the busy streets, then through less busy streets, and into the suburbs of Seongbuk-dong where houses were opulent and money was old.

They pulled up into the driveway of such a house, and Hoseok was led in through the front door, through the pristine hallways, and into an elegant sitting room where he was directed to wait.

He gingerly sat down on a sofa and looked about him. Despite the absolute terror the situation instilled in him, the sitting room was quite comfortable. Lush houseplants flourished in every corner, lending a soothing atmosphere to the home of his kidnapper. He wondered what kind of person lived here.   

“Hello, Hoseok-ssi,” said the same posh, refined voice from the phone call. The false sense of comfort evaporated immediately, replaced by a bone-deep chill. “Yoo Kihyun at your service.”

Hoseok whipped his head around and leapt up. In the entranceway stood the same short man who had visited Changkyun that morning several days ago. The one Changkyun had warned him about.

Despite his small stature, his dominant presence filled the large room. Every detail was _too much._  His hair, styled back from his forehead, was too tidy. His expression was too emotionless. His suit was too pristine. Looking at him was like looking at an unnatural, otherworldly being.

“You were in our apartment that morning.”

“Yes, yes,” said Yoo Kihyun. “Just checking on our dearest Changkyun.”

“What were you doing there?” Hoseok demanded. Instinctively he shifted his weight onto one foot. “Why am I here?”

“What is your relationship with Im Changkyun?” Kihyun asked with a tilt of his head.

“We’re roommates. Answer my question.”

Kihyun frowned dubiously. “The only living thing he has ever peacefully lived with is that cat of his.”

“I think we’re managing just fine,” Hoseok bit out.

“And you’re aware of the work he does? How he’s married to his work?”

“Yes.” Hoseok didn’t see what was the point of this interrogation. How was Changkyun’s work remotely related to his status as his roommate?

“Interesting.” Kihyun eyed him shrewdly, then began pacing towards him.

“Judging from your posture and how you hold your centre of gravity, you’ve been trained in at least two disciplines of martial arts from when you were young.”

Hoseok’s heartbeat skyrocketed. Being analyzed like this felt like déjà vu — Changkyun had done the same upon their first meeting, but it felt like Kihyun was picking him apart and examining every piece under a microscope. It felt invasive.

“You’re out of practice, but muscle memory is an extraordinary thing. You’re strong from weightlifting, but agile from dance training; a rare combination. Not to mention your acting skills…”

Kihyun trailed off and glanced curiously at Hoseok. “I have two proposals for you, Hoseok-ssi.”

Hoseok stared back, gritting his teeth.

“The first proposal: report to me on Im Changkyun’s activities,” said Kihyun. “Who he meets with, what he eats, just paltry details. You’ll be compensated, of course.”

“I’m not interested,” Hoseok snapped.

“Ahh, you’re _loyal._  Good. The second proposal, then,” said Kihyun. “Leave Im Changkyun’s side and work for me. I could train you. I have use for assets like you.”

Angry steps thundered down the hallway and someone burst into the room.

 _“Hyung!”_ shouted Changkyun. His expression was livid. “What the fuck are you doing? Get away from him!”

Hoseok started in alarm and stepped away from Kihyun, raising his palms up defensively.

Changkyun looked momentarily confused.

“No, not you, Hoseok-hyung. Kihyun!” He turned angrily to the other. “You always do this to my friends!”

Kihyun scowled. “Manners, Changkyun, you’re not a dog snarling over its territory.”

Changkyun marched up to them and pushed Kihyun away from Hoseok. “Hoseok-hyung is not my _territory,_ he’s a _human being._  I — I cannot believe you!”

He aimed a sharp, merciless kick at Kihyun’s shin. Hoseok’s jaw dropped.

Kihyun doubled over and hissed in pain. “This suit is _Valentino!”_

“Well you should’ve thought about that before _kidnapping_ my roommate to your den of corruption—”

“If it means I can get you to come over for dinner, so be it! I don’t even know if you’ve been taking the multivitamins I sent you—”

“Are we really going to have the vitamin supplement debate again?”

“Okay, what the _fuck_ is going on?” Hoseok demanded a touch hysterically.

“Oh, are the Brothers Yoo and Im squabbling again?” a calm voice interjected.

Another man had appeared in the entryway of the living room. It was the tall, well-built man who had accompanied Yoo Kihyun to their apartment that morning. With his suit jacket draped over his arm, he looked upon the scene with casual amusement, as if it was a regular occurrence in the household.  

“Brothers?” Hoseok exclaimed. Was _this_ Changkyun’s mysterious brother who kept popping up in conversation?

 _“Half_ -brothers,” Changkyun and Kihyun corrected in unison. Their faces bore the same petulant expression.

Kihyun sighed. “I’m going to get changed. I’ll let you explain to Hoseok-ssi, Changkyun-ah.”

With that, he and the tall man disappeared into a hallway off the living room.

Hoseok turned to Changkyun, who had slumped onto a sofa and was fuming silently with his arms crossed. He sat down beside Changkyun.

“So,” he began. “The most dangerous man in all of South Korea is… your half-brother.”

“Yes,” Changkyun replied with a grimace. “Yoo Kihyun is my half-brother. Perhaps you can tell by the nose.” He turned to show Hoseok his side profile, tilting his head back to draw attention to his tall nose.

Hoseok eyed Changkyun’s face. Although both men had well-defined noses, they weren’t shaped quite the same. Kihyun’s was sharp, while Changkyun’s had a softer contour. Their noses weren’t what made them resemble each other at all. It was the shrewd, intelligent light in their eyes.

“Actually it was the whole scary-smart thing.”

“He is, isn’t he? Kihyun’s always been the better one between us,” said Changkyun, not looking at Hoseok. His voice was laced with a complicated tension — partly resentful, but also something else Hoseok couldn’t put his finger on. “Smarter, quicker at understanding things, better at talking to people. It might seem hard to believe, but there are people in this world capable of things beyond comprehension, and Kihyun-hyung is one of them.”

It dawned on Hoseok that Changkyun was… admiring. He’d landed in another rare opportunity to learn about Changkyun’s life, so he stayed silent, letting Changkyun’s thoughts tumble out freely.

“He’s a year younger than you, but officially he’s the junior assistant to the Director of the National Intelligence Service. Unofficially, he _is_ the National Intelligence Service.” A tiny smile danced on Changkyun’s lips now. “Our country avoided so many threats and crises because of him. He keeps us safe.”

“That’s incredible,” Hoseok breathed.

“Very,” Changkyun nodded. “But don’t tell him I said any of that. You’ll only boost his over-inflated ego.”

Hoseok fought a smile. “I promise I won’t. So how come I got kidnapped here?”

“Beats me,” Changkyun groaned. “He did this to Jooheon when I first met him. And Hyungwon. And Minhyuk. He’s got this idea that he needs to scare my friends into treating me well.”

To Hoseok, it sounded like Kihyun was just being an overprotective brother. When Hoseok was little, he’d had his own share of schoolyard fights with his brother’s bullies, but Kihyun took it to a whole new questionable level.

“Changkyun-ah, are you talking behind your brother’s back again?”

The tall man had returned, now dressed in comfortable sweatpants and a T-shirt. He stuck his hand out to Hoseok.

“Apologies for not introducing myself earlier. I’m Son Hyunwoo,” he said, smiling goodnaturedly. “Agent with the SMPA, and Kihyun’s partner.”

That name rang a bell. Hoseok realized he was face-to-face with Agent Son, whom Changkyun had asked to see on the phone, and also Changkyun’s Hyunwoo-hyung.

“He means ‘boyfriend’ but he says ‘partner’ because Kihyun thinks boyfriends are mundane,” Changkyun snarked.

“Lee Hoseok,” Hoseok replied, shaking Hyunwoo’s hand. It was warm and firm.

Hyunwoo gave a quick laugh, and his eyes scrunched up into crescents. “I know, Kihyunnie’s been eager to meet you.”

“He’s going about it the wrong way,” Changkyun grumbled with a dramatic roll of the eyes.

“But if I’d called, would you have picked up?”

Kihyun had returned too, now dressed comfortably just like Hyunwoo. The product had been washed out of his hair. In his sweatpants and T-shirt, with his damp hair flopping over his brow, he looked like an entirely different person.

Changkyun shifted in his seat, looking slightly chastened.

“Stay for dinner, both of you,” said Kihyun with a small smile. “I asked Mr. Choi to make your favourite, Changkyun-ah.”

—

Dinner was one of the strangest family affairs Hoseok had ever witnessed. They each sat on one side of the rectangular dinner table, with Kihyun and Hyunwoo at both ends. The four of them made for an odd ensemble in that luxurious dining room — the hosts in their soft lounge sweats, Hoseok in the casual denim he’d worn to work, and Changkyun in his work ensemble of a shirt and slacks.

What made it even more odd was the strange atmosphere that settled over the table. Hoseok’s attention was torn in all directions.

Directly before him was one of the most delicious meals he’d ever had the privilege of eating. There was fragrant and colourful multigrain rice, more dishes of _banchan_ than he’d ever seen alongside a home-cooked meal, a heap of crisp seafood pancake, and kimchi jjigae… Hoseok looked from dish to dish, almost not knowing where to start.  

On his left and right, Kihyun and Hyunwoo directed polite questions at him, like “What do you do?” (sales associate and waiter) and “Do you have siblings?” (yes, a younger brother, already married). To be completely honest, Hoseok wasn’t sure why Kihyun bothered asking, because it wasn’t like he couldn’t guess by some minute detail of Hoseok’s appearance or mannerisms. Perhaps he was just being courteous.

Across from him, Changkyun ate unexpectedly voraciously for someone who’d given all appearances of being absolutely loathe to be there. Between neat bites, he chatted with Hyunwoo about casework, chimed in when their hosts asked questions that pertained to both him and Hoseok, and hummed thanks to Kihyun whenever the elder nonchalantly placed food onto his side plate.  

That final detail took Hoseok by surprise. Their initial meeting at unit 221 gave Hoseok the impression that their relationship was entirely antagonistic. The shouting match in the living room didn’t do much better.

And yet, there was a nervous tenderness in how Kihyun would glance to gauge Changkyun’s reaction to the taste of the food, and in how Changkyun would immediately eat whatever Kihyun gave him instead of letting it sit on his plate.

Everything was falling into place. Kihyun’s abnormal concern over Changkyun’s health. Hyungwon asking Changkyun what his brother would say about his unbalanced diet. Jooheon and Hyungwon threatening to call Changkyun’s brother. These all spoke to a pair of brothers willing to improve their relationship but still finding their footing around each other. Hoseok couldn’t say he approved of Kihyun’s methods, but perhaps improvement would come with time.

“Hoseok-ssi, I see you haven’t been clawed by Changkyun’s cat.” Kihyun’s voice cut through his thoughts. He was eyeing Hoseok’s unscathed hands.

“Eleanor doesn’t claw anyone,” Hoseok replied, tilting his head. “She’s a good girl.”

Kihyun pressed his lips together and hummed. Hyunwoo and Changkyun both struggled to contain their grins.

—

“For you,” Kihyun’s voice murmured next to Hoseok. “Decaf.”

Dinner was finished and the table was cleared. Kihyun was holding out a cup of black coffee on a saucer.

Hoseok accepted it. “Thank you.”

“Hoseok-ssi, I am sincerely sorry for the scare I gave you today,” said Kihyun. His brow was creased. “I did what I thought would work best. Changkyun is uniquely stubborn, and I worry, you know?”

“I know,” said Hoseok. It wasn’t his place to say, but he privately agreed that Kihyun was going about everything the wrong way. “Doesn’t mean I forgive you though. That trick with the surveillance cameras took fifteen years off my life.”

Kihyun smiled wryly and took a sip of coffee. Hoseok did so too, and together they watched Changkyun lean eagerly over a casefile Hyunwoo was showing him.

“What is your impression of him?” Kihyun asked. His voice sounded guarded.

Hoseok took another sip of coffee as he mulled over what to say. What did Kihyun want to hear? What would Changkyun be comfortable with Kihyun knowing?

He settled for: “He’s been a very considerate roommate.”

“Changkyun and I don’t have the relationship I want us to have,” said Kihyun quietly. “He always keeps me at arms length, and so I bought him that cat. So imagine my surprise when I found out he let someone move in with him.”

Had this conversation taken place earlier in the evening, before he got to witness the brothers’ tentative interactions, Hoseok would definitely have refused to tell Kihyun anything more. But beneath Kihyun’s prickly exterior, Hoseok could see glimpses of a man trying his best to convey his sincerity.   

“Changkyun does take his vitamins,” Hoseok offered. At least with this, he could give Kihyun a smidge of reassurance without giving away anything Changkyun might not want told. The rest was for the two brothers to work through together.

Kihyun whipped his head around in surprise. A soft, disbelieving expression took over his face, which he promptly schooled into mock disappointment.

“If only you’d taken my offer earlier, Hoseok-ssi,” he tutted. “I would’ve paid you enough for a round trip to Tokyo for that.”

“Seeing two brothers get along together is payment enough,” replied Hoseok truthfully.

“You’re a soft man,” said Kihyun with mirth. “I retract my job offer. You wouldn’t last a day with us.”

—

When Hoseok stumbled into the kitchen the following morning, Changkyun was already perched on a stool at the kitchen island with a steaming mug of coffee at his elbow, nibbling on a piece of toast and frowning at his phone in confusion. At the sound of Hoseok’s approach, he looked up.

“Morning, hyung,” he said. “There’s coffee in the pot already.”

“Morning, Changkyun,” Hoseok mumbled. “Thanks.”

He poured himself a generous cup, and slowly sipped at it. Changkyun returned his gaze to his phone screen, although he didn’t seem to be doing anything but staring at it.

“Hey, did your brother really have his people kidnap me off the sidewalk or was that a dream?”

“Nope, not a dream,” said Changkyun. He frowned again. “At least, I don’t think so. Maybe we’re still dreaming. He hasn’t nagged me to take my vitamins yet today.”

Hoseok hid a smile. “Fancy that.”

Changkyun hummed in agreement, then began tapping at his phone screen. In the morning silence, Hoseok slowly got to work gathering ingredients to make his breakfast.

“Hey hyung,” said Changkyun. His voice was tense.

“Hmm?”

“Your fellow trainee back at Illusion… was Andrew’s last name Park?”

“Yeah, why?” Hoseok looked at Changkyun over his shoulder. The younger was biting his lip nervously.

“You need to see this,” said Changkyun. “Hyung, I’m so sorry.”

Changkyun held his phone screen out for Hoseok to read. Hoseok leaned closer. His stomach dropped. 

> _Former Illusion Ent. trainee found dead outside home_

Below the article title, Andrew’s trainee profile picture smiled youthfully back at him.

He barely heard the sound of eggs cracking on the tile floor over the dull roar that flooded his ears.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys I'm back after almost a month? And here I thought I'd only take 2 weeks to update. Life happened, in a good way! Anyways, please know I am posting this far past my bedtime. F it, I'll proofread later..
> 
> SMPA = Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. 
> 
> Disclaimer: Kihyun's behaviour as a brother is not ideal here. Hoseok is right to be skeptical of how he's going about things. Don't worry, it's not permanent, and Kihyun will grow from this. Kihyun and Changkyun will have a healthy relationship. 
> 
> Big love to mes bébés, you know who you are. I want to wrap you in blankets and give you warm drinks, hot weather be damned. You're on my mind, and I hope you're taking good care of yourself <3

**Author's Note:**

> I'm bluem00nrabbit on [twt](https://twitter.com/bluem00nrabbit)/[cc](https://curiouscat.me/bluem00nrabbit). Come say hi!


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